Monday night, the Des Moines City Council voted to change the city's vicious breed ordinance.
Under the old law, a pit bull is automatically considered vicious, even if it has never hurt anyone. Owners must have insurance and the dog always has to be on a leash or in a special confined space. If the owner is caught violating the ordinance twice, the dog will be put down.
Under the amendment, a dog that's vicious by breed won't be put down. Instead, the Animal Rescue League will determine if it can be adopted.
This ordinance got a lot of attention because of the Fritz family and their dog Smokey. They didn't follow the ordinance, but fought to keep Smokey alive.
It's been a long month for Jessica Fritz and her family without their dog Smokey.
"Terrible, my kids still say Smokey's in heaven because from the beginning they told me I have no other option but euthanizing, that's it," said Smokey's owner Jessica Fritz.
Smokey was taken from their home after they were caught not following the ordinance. But Jessica and her family didn't want that him to be put down.
They went across Des Moines and got 300 people to sign a petition saying this law isn't fair. Then they put up flyers in as many stores as they could. The Fritz's want as many people to hear their story as possible.
"The more people we got involved the bigger it got and the more people are talking about it. We has actually soldiers that are in Afghanistan calling," said Fritz.
They told everyone to call the city council and let them know they want this ordinance changed.
Right now Smokey is still at the Animal Rescue League and is fine. He was going to be euthanized, but the city council put that on hold until they could look at this law.
"Either way I'm glad that he's not going to be put to sleep, hopefully he can make someone else happy, but I mean I really want him back," said Jessica's husband Shawn Fritz.
"At least I know that I saved his life, or we all did, it wasn't just me," said Jessica.
Smokey will now be evaluated and the ARL will decide who adopts him. But Smokey's owners won't get him back. Under the amendment old owners and people who live with them can't adopt the dog. If somehow the dog ends up back in that home, it will be seized and euthanized.
Under the old law, a pit bull is automatically considered vicious, even if it has never hurt anyone. Owners must have insurance and the dog always has to be on a leash or in a special confined space. If the owner is caught violating the ordinance twice, the dog will be put down.
Under the amendment, a dog that's vicious by breed won't be put down. Instead, the Animal Rescue League will determine if it can be adopted.
This ordinance got a lot of attention because of the Fritz family and their dog Smokey. They didn't follow the ordinance, but fought to keep Smokey alive.
It's been a long month for Jessica Fritz and her family without their dog Smokey.
"Terrible, my kids still say Smokey's in heaven because from the beginning they told me I have no other option but euthanizing, that's it," said Smokey's owner Jessica Fritz.
Smokey was taken from their home after they were caught not following the ordinance. But Jessica and her family didn't want that him to be put down.
They went across Des Moines and got 300 people to sign a petition saying this law isn't fair. Then they put up flyers in as many stores as they could. The Fritz's want as many people to hear their story as possible.
"The more people we got involved the bigger it got and the more people are talking about it. We has actually soldiers that are in Afghanistan calling," said Fritz.
They told everyone to call the city council and let them know they want this ordinance changed.
Right now Smokey is still at the Animal Rescue League and is fine. He was going to be euthanized, but the city council put that on hold until they could look at this law.
"Either way I'm glad that he's not going to be put to sleep, hopefully he can make someone else happy, but I mean I really want him back," said Jessica's husband Shawn Fritz.
"At least I know that I saved his life, or we all did, it wasn't just me," said Jessica.
Smokey will now be evaluated and the ARL will decide who adopts him. But Smokey's owners won't get him back. Under the amendment old owners and people who live with them can't adopt the dog. If somehow the dog ends up back in that home, it will be seized and euthanized.